Perhaps the biggest selling point for Kevin Stefanski becoming the Atlanta Falcons' head coach was the fact that he won two NFL Coach of the Year awards during his time with the Cleveland Browns. While he instantly turned them into a team to be taken seriously, Stefanski ultimately couldn't overcome the perpetual dysfunction of that franchise.
Still, Stefanski had some incredible players during his run in Cleveland. Outside of Myles Garrett, the most special of them was running back Nick Chubb, who just announced his retirement.
Asked about Chubb during today's Falcons presser, Stefanski gushed over the back who he called his favorite player.
"He was everybody's favorite player—and that's his teammates' favorite, his coaches' favorite," Stefanski
told Breer. "I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but he was my favorite. I always get that question from young kids: Who's your favorite player? And I know you're not supposed to say, kind of like you're not supposed to say who your favorite kid is, but I would always reply, Nick Chubb. He was a joy to coach."
Chubb was the closest thing we've seen compared to Marshawn Lynch in the post-Marshawn Lynch era - but he wasn't just a run-through-your-face type of back. Like Lynch, Chubb's elusiveness was very-much underrated. His skill helped him reach a peak from 2019-2022 when he was a top-three running back in the NFL along with Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.
At his best, Chubb posted 996 rushing yards or more five straight years and scored at least eight touchdowns in each of those years, as well. Along the way he made four AFC Pro Bowl teams but somehow never earned an All-Pro nod.
Chubb is also one of the big what-might-have-been stories in recent NFL history. His career was never remotely the same after the 2022 season thanks to knee injuries.
As for the Falcons, Stefanski's enthusiasm for Chubb is another positive sign for things to come from Bijan Robinson, who may not have Chubb's rare physicality but is far more gifted, athletically. Robinson should be considered 1A, 1B and 1C in fantasy football this year.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski names Nick Chubb his favorite player
